The O Antiphons as Parenting Advice: A Mini-Retreat
“Slow down and look up.” I felt the words stir in my heart as I sat down to prayer on a quiet, drizzly Saturday morning in early Advent. My husband and toddler were out on their weekly daddy-daughter Mass and breakfast date. I held a steaming cup of tea in my enormous yellow mug. Gentle instrumental worship music was playing through the speaker. The rain drummed steadily on the roof, and the gloom made me draw a blanket close, even though it wasn’t all that cold. Slow down and look up. I looked up, and saw a string of Christmas decorations that I had hung the previous day: seven gold-painted circles, illustrated on one side and bearing various Latin phrases on the back. My garland of “O Antiphons”, which I painted four or five years ago in preparation for Callum’s and my future home. O Sapienta (Wisdom) O Adonai (Lord) O Radix Jesse (Root of Jesse) O Clavis David (Key of David) O Oriens (Dayspring/Dawn) O Rex Gentium (King of the Nations) O Emmanuel (...
